Mar. 8, 2013

Diane Edgecomb

Written by

Detroit Free Press Business Writer

If Detroiters enjoyed ethnic festivals on Hart Plaza and the lights on the Ambassador Bridge, one of the people they can thank is Diane Edgecomb.

As the longtime head of the former civic group the Central Business District Association, Edgecomb popularized the idea of ethnic festivals and campaigned with others to light the bridge, as well as promoted the Detroit Aglow festival and numerous other ways to enliven downtown Detroit from the 1950s through the 1990s.

Edgecomb, 92, died Tuesday after a long illness at her daughter's home in Clinton Township.

"(I've) been in Detroit since 11 years old," she said in 2010. "Loved my job and loved the people. I can't tell you how many people did so many things."

Born in New York City to Greek immigrant parents, Edgecomb arrived in Detroit at age 11 and attended schools here. She joined the CBDA in 1954 as director of promotion, rising to executive vice president in 1970 and president in 1980, a role she held until 1997, when she retired and founded the Central Business District Foundation. The CBDA later evolved into today's Downtown Detroit Partnership.

Working with Mayors Roman Gribbs and Coleman Young, she helped establish various city ethnic festivals, which moved to Hart Plaza in the 1970s.

Besides her campaign to string lights from the Ambassador Bridge, she also lobbied lawmakers in Lansing to create a Downtown Development Act (DDA) in the state. The law allowed Detroit to establish the city's DDA, which has been instrumental in supporting numerous development projects downtown.

She also served on numerous boards and received many awards. In the 1970s, the Free Press cited Edgecomb as one of Detroit's 10 Most Influential Women.

"When I think about the positive events taking place in downtown Detroit, I know she was instrumental in laying the foundation," said Alan Scott White, a real estate professional who worked for Edgecomb at CBDA. "She was an unapologetic booster of Detroit and downtown in particular at a time when it was not very trendy. Detroit was her heart."

She is survived by her daughter, Natalie Stocks; two grandchildren, and two sisters, Angie Adrien and Kathryn Hillery.